Controller or



D. W. GRAZIER. CONTROLLER 0R FLASRER FOR ELEcTRxc SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I1, 1918.

Patented Jan. 10,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOF!r ULGWW um.. ,l

wlTNEssEs alo! D.W. GRAZIER.

CONTROLLER 0R ELAsHER Eon ELECTRIC SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I I, I9I8.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CONTROLLER 0R FLASHER FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYII. Isla.

1,402,927. Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR WITN ESSES UNITED STATES DOR W. GRAZIER, 0F JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLER OR FLASHER FOR ELECTRIC SIGNS.

Application filed May 11, 1918.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Donn IV. GRAZTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controllers or Flashers for Electric Signs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure `1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of one form of apparatus embodying my invention. i

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rotary contact carrier.

Figure 3 is a plan view, or elevation, of the rear side of the fixed contact carrier.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of one of the contact plungers or pins.

Figure 5 is a similar plan view, or elevation, of the contact carrying side of the fixed carrier.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the relatively fixed contacts; and

Figure 7 is a side view partly in section of a modified form of rotary Contact carrier.

My invention has relation to controllers or ashers for electric signs; and is designed to provide a simple and inexpensive apparatus of this character which is eflicientand durable' in its action; and in which the arrangement of contacts can be conveniently and quickly changed to vary the effects produced, or to adapt the apparatus to signs of different characters.

-' the spirit andscope of my invent-ion, as de- Y fined in the appended claims.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates a fixed contact carrier which is supported preferably in an upright position on a suitable base 3 and which is of insulating material.V Formed in one face of this car' Y embodiment of my invention shown in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

serial No. 233,934.

drawings, I have shown three of these concentric grooves with a plurality of contacts 1n each groove, the contacts in the three grooves being shown as of different lengths, but of the same length in each particular groove. It will be understood, however, that the number orn grooves may be varied 1n accordance with the requirements and that the length of the contacts may be equal or unequal, according to the requirements of the sign to be flashed. The contacts are shown as being secured in place by means of screws 6 which are extended through the carrier 2 sufiiciently to permit any of them to receive an additional nut 7 to thereby form a binding post for an electrical connection 8 forming one side of the particular circuit to be controlled by that contact. Each of the grooves is provided with a plurality of holes 9 to receive these screws, thereby providing for different arrangements of the contacts within the grooves.

10 designates a connection with the opposite side of the circuit and leading to a central binding post 11, carried by a central Contact 12. I do not limit myself to this particular method of establishing kconnection with the opposite side of the circuits.

13 designates a rotary contact carrier which, in the form shown in Figure 1, consists of two plates of conducting material which are spaced apart and secured by the posts 14. These posts are carried by a spider 15- which is secured Yto a shaft. 16 driven through the medium of any suitable gearing 17 from an electric motor 18. Slidably mounted in the carrier 13 are a plurality of Vplunger contacts 19, these contacts being arranged in concentric circles corresponding to the arrangement of the fixed contacts with which they are adapted to co-operate with a central plunger 11n adapted to bear upon the contact 12. Each of the plungers is provided with a spring 2() which tends to nuiintain it in contacting position. The carrier 13 is provided with a plurality of holes 2l of a characterV to receive and seat the plungers, whereby the number of plungers use'l may be varied and also theirspacing, thus giving means for varying the time interval between successive contact engagements.

I preferably form the contact portion 19EL of each plunger as a separate piece (see Fig. 4) which can be removed and replaced when worn. I also preferably provide the ortion 19a with one or more small o )enng's P l9bleading from the inner portion ofthe cavity Which fits.vv the. spindle; through. to the contact face. This opening, together With the inner portion ot'saigd cavitylA pack With graphite paste, or other suitable lubricant.

The effectofthe lubrication thus provided is greatly to reduce the `Wear on the contact face.

In order to produce varying eects in a given sign Without changing theuarrangenient of the fixed contacts, one or. more of the pins orplungers 19 may at anytime be Aheld out of action "by drawing tit j baclt lagainst itsy springvQO, and inserting avpin through one of the holes 19 back of the plate 13. y

In the modiicationshown in'Figure the rotary contact c arrieri2y2is shown as consisting of a solid piece. of conductingmaterial and the plungersprings 20a, instead ofv being seated VWithin the carrier, as in the form first described, are Aseated between t-he Yface of the 'carrier and the shoulders on the plungers. Y Y n The operation Will be readily understood. The particular. sign circuits to be controlled are connected to the proper fixed contacts, the remaining contacts Vbeing idle. The

vplunger Y contacts are properly spaced' to agree With'the particular sign andthe ef;

fects to be produced. lt will be readily seen that as the rotary contact carrier turns, the respective plungers will, as they come into engagement withV the successive active'ixed contacts, close theY respective sign .circuits during certain time intervals determined by .thelengths of the iiXed contacts.

The advantagesof my invention -will be vapparent, since it provides a sign flasher which is simple in its construction and inode :of operation, which requires but little attention when in operation, which vis not affected by Wear, and which provides ready chang- .ing to suit differentpatternsyor to varythe effects produced.

l claim:

v-l. A flasher for electric signs, comprising a fixed contact carrier having` a plurality of concentric circular grooves therein, :relatively adjustable contactsV seated in said grooves and having inea-ns for their connec- Vtion With sep .rateelectric circuits, and a.

rotai'ycontact carrier having a plurality of contacts adapted to co-operate with the relatively adjustable contacts and having electrical connectionvvith the opposite'side of the circuits to be controlled; substantially as 'described y 2. ,A flasher for electric signs, comprising a plurality of fixed contactsarranged in dif- 1 .ferent concentric circles and v each having V means forconnection Withonelside of an electric circuitand aco-.operating rotary contact Ycarrier'having a plurality of co-acting contacts also arranged in concentric ^circles and inV electrical connection With the .oppositesidejof the Vcircuits to be controlled,

the rotary carrier having means whereby i, the number `and spacing arrangement of Asaid contactsinay be varied; as. described.

substantially 3. Ar'flasher of the character described, comprising a contact carrier having a pluralit-y of'V grooves formed therein, relatively adjustable contacts secured in `said grooves, a second contact carrier having a plurality of relatively adjustable contacts adapted to vcof-operate with said adjustable contacts, and

means vwhereby any one of the contacts on said Alast named carrier may beheld'v out of contact position, substantially as described. i

4. A flasher'for electric signs, comprising a plurality of relatively adjustable contacts arranged', in different concentric circles and eachlhaving means for connection with one rotary contact carrier having a plurality of co-acting contacts also arranged in concentric circles, and in electrical connection with the'opposite side ofthe circuits toV be controlled, said contact carrier having means thereon for the reception of additional contacts and providing-for the adjustment ofV any vof-the contacts thereon, substantially as described.

.si-de of an electric circuit, and a cooperating 5. A flasher for electric signs, comprising a plurality of relatively adjustable contacts arrangedin different concentric circles and .the circuits to be controlled, substantially as described. 6. A flasher for electric signs, comprising a plurality of relatively adjustable contacts aiijangedin diflerent concentric circles, each contact having a coininongineansfor holding the same in adjusted position and for connection with one `side of an electric circuit, a cooperatingl rotary contact carrier having-a plurality of yielding co-acting contacts also arranged in concentric circles and in electrical connection With the opposite side of the circuits to be controlled, and means vfor varying the number and arrangement of said yielding contacts, substantially as described.

7. Aflasher for electric signs, comprising a fixed carrier having a plurality of contacts arranged in different 'concentric circles thereon, and each having means for connection with one side of an electric circuit and a cooperating rotary contact carrier lia-ving a plurality co-acting contacts also arranged in concentric circles and in electrical connection with the opposite side of the circuits to be controlled, the said fixed and rotary contact carriers both having means whereby the arrangement of any one ofthe contacts may be changed relatively to the others, substantially as described.

8. A liasher of the character described, connarising a contact carrier having a plurality of grooves -formed therein, independently relatively adjustable contacts secured in each of said grooves, each of such grooves having means cooperating with the contacts for holding the same in adjusted position and means on each of the contacts cooperating with said means and forming means 'for connecting the contacts in circuit as required, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set m hand.

y DOR W. GRAZIER. 

